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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584435">the stubborn will take it as far as they can</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/acaiis/pseuds/acaiis'>acaiis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Competition, Not Beta Read, Oneshot, Secrets, Selectively Mute Wild (Linked Universe), Sign Language, The Quiet Game, crackfic, fluff?, many headcanons, not sure though you tell me, selective mutism, selectively mute legend (linked uinverse), theres some fluff in there i think, they're all stubborn as anything</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:21:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584435</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/acaiis/pseuds/acaiis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With the Links, the competitive streak runs deep. Time had intended for a reprieve from the normal chaos, but instead the boys find themselves in a full-blown competition, quiet game style.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>230</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the stubborn will take it as far as they can</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't like adding notes at the beginning, but for the sake of the dialogue being read the way I heard it in my head: Legend and Ravio have Irish accents. The accent Time is briefly mentioned to have is Scottish.</p><p>despite what the summary implies, there is actually a fair bit of dialogue.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Wind whoops as Wild chases after him, rapping at the backs of his legs with a stick. Sky is leading Warriors and Legend in song, Hyrule joining in off-key. Four and Twilight, while they are the quietest of the bunch, are still talking far too loudly. Time groans, pressing his fingers to his temple. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O’er clouds painted honey-gold, my home, it does await me-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eeeek! Wild, that’s not fair-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is too fair!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You say you forged this blade in only three days?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mhmm.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My life, my love, so close yet far, I hope they still are waiting. Oh time will not deter me, no not while I’m still standing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ahh! Wild!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve won again!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need a new game,” Wind pouts, crossing his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Time speaks up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t we play the quiet game?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They fall silent for all but a second, loud melody petering off  before Legend groans.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What, you want us to play that kid’s game?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s the quiet game?” Hyrule murmurs, and Wild gives him a shrug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You just want us to shut up, Old Man!” Wind protests, pointing a finger at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Time says, arching an eyebrow. “Don’t think you can do it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend and Wind falter in their protests, and Time grins smugly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you guys going on about?” Wild says in the pause, him and Hyrule both looking beyond lost. Twilight laughs at them for a moment, eliciting not-at-all threatening glares, and falls back to explain the game to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come on. You’re just trying to get a rise out of us,” Legend says eventually, crossing his arms. Time shrugs, looking not at all bothered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps. But the way you’re talking now, I doubt you’d be any good at keeping your yap shut for long.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend's mouth opens and closes before he finally scowls. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Vet. For all your skills it seems staying silent isn’t one,” Warriors grins, slipping up beside him, and Legend’s scowl deepens. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well it’s certainly not a skill of yours, either.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wanna put that to the test?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Over Legend’s head, Warriors winks at Time and is met with a punch to his shoulder by the smaller hero. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Reminds me of when someone couldn’t shut up long enough to listen in on battle plans,” Warriors remarks, rubbing at his shoulder and giving Time a pointed look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In my defense, I didn’t care for other opinions that much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Warriors snorts and bumps his shoulder against Time’s, grinning. Legend continues to scowl up at them, rolling his eyes at their inside jokes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re not playing the quiet game,” Legend huffs with finality, and strides ahead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cucco,” Warriors mutters, and Legend whips back around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine!” He says, throwing his hands up. “But when I win-“ he jabs his thumb at his chest “-you lot are gonna regret playing.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time grins and Legend’s scowl deepens.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Guess we’re all playing, then?” Sky asks, and Legend’s glare snaps over to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course</span>
  </em>
  <span> you’re all playing, because I need to show these two that I’m the best.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a bit of talking, they settle on a set of rules, most of the others amicable to the idea. Wind, along with Legend, scowls and crosses his arms, but their competitive streaks run far too strong to resist the challenge presented. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ok, three.. two.. one..” Sky’s voice is touched with mild amusement as he glances around at the others, their faces set with far too much determination for the situation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The silence is instantaneous. The clinking of their armor and the sound of dirt beneath their boots are the only sounds present — even less noise from some, who have gone so far as to swap out normal equipment in favor of stealth gear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No noise from their mouths, whatsoever. Should be easy enough, Legend muses, arms still crossed as he walks at the head of the group. It’s not like they talk constantly — after particularly hard battles, they will continue on wearily, not caring much to try and keep up a conversation. But it’s different when they’re not quite bone-tired, and conversation has been so forcefully shut down. A quick observation reveals an already fidgeting Wind and a seemingly unbothered Wild, who is taking in his surroundings as they pass by. Time is a stoic as ever, Wars seems self-occupied with picking at his nails, and Sky walks next to Hyrule in companionable silence. Twilight brings up the rear, Four a little ways ahead of him, and Legend turns back toward the road. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s hardly fifteen minutes in before Wind’s fidgeting grows such that it seems the boy can no longer take it. He glances up at Wild before smacking him in the leg and taking off, the taller hero running after him. After a few moments Twilight takes off as well, teeth bared in a grin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They tire of running after a while and fall back in step with the others, tired enough to be wary of wearing themselves down any further. Time grins privately to himself, the once harsh headache finally letting up, but he does have to admit the silence is a bit boring, after so long spent with such a boisterous collection of warriors. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It seems, however, when two hours have passed without a peep, that the game is being taken far more seriously than he had anticipated. He is tempted to say something, were it not for his own (rather childish) urge to win. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Wild attempt to trip Legend, and grins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first of them fall (quite literally) four or so hours in, approaching nightfall. Wind catches his foot on a root and trips, laying himself out in the dirt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha! That means you lost, Wind!” Hyrule grins, and Wind stares back at him incredulously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So did you, genius,” Wind snarks back, and Hyrule takes pause.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You spoke! That’s how the game works!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hyrule’s face falls. A few of the others have to look away to avoid snorting, and Twi pats Hyrule on the back as he passes by. Camp is made unnervingly quietly that night, save Wind’s angry muttering (Time has to resist the urge to chide him for language, and doesn’t doubt Wind knows he would otherwise be getting an earful) and Hyrule’s occasional words of direction. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wind and Hyrule, despite being technically allowed to talk, stay surprisingly silent, though Wind does not hesitate to cuss at every minor inconvenience. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They move about camp and work together far better than they normally do, really, wordlessly passing bowls and swords and bedrolls out and putting everything back when they’re done. Hyrule murmurs a goodnight and is given no response, and the boys sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Come morning, the seven of them stay stubbornly silent. Wind groans at them every chance he gets, but to no avail. They continue on, still as silent as the day before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You guys can’t keep this up forever,” Wind grumbles, dragging his feet. Suddenly, he grins impishly, glancing up at Sky and Time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time’s eye twitches and Sky levels Wind with a flat look. The younger boy shrugs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was worth a try,” he says, then jogs over to Hyrule, talking animatedly at him within moments. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s evident across most of their faces how the game begins to wear on them. Several times, one will take a deep breath, raising their hand in a half-formed gesture before catching themselves and swallowing their words. By late afternoon, Warriors and Legend look positively itchy, and Four’s face is set in a scowl. Sky’s easy-going smile that had been present at first has now been drawn into a grimace, and he is surprised to see Wild mostly unbothered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For the love of Hylia, shut up,” Four grumbles, and everyone turns to look at him. It seems to take him a moment to register, but once he takes in the eight sets of confused eyes on him the small hero flushes a deep red. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who were you talking to?” Wind asks, screwing up his face. “None of us were talking.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- ah, I was talking to myself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend narrows his eyes at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thoughts got too loud,” he mumbles as a further explanation, and falls silent once more, looking positively pissed. The others exchange glances before shrugging it off and continuing on down the road, Wind and Hyrule murmuring softly to one another. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With evening comes a break in the wilderness, a town sprawling out over the hills before them. It presents a problem in the form of communication, but after some silent fussing Four rolls his eyes and takes lead of the group.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll speak for you lot,” he says, before throwing in a side remark about how childish they all were. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re just a sore loser,” Wind teases, and Four side eyes him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As I recall, you lost first.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That shuts Wind up, at least for now, and Four leads them into the town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“These are my cousins,” Four is saying, head tilted back as he stares up at the innkeeper. “Most of them are mute.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, how terrible! What happened?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Illness, a few years back.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman tuts and bends down to be more face-level with Four, who is resisting the urge to scowl at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You poor dears. Let me see what I can do about a good, hearty supper for you folk. Your rooms are all upstairs, second floor.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They thank her with quiet nods or murmured thanks, in the case of Hyrule and Wind, and file upstairs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wind chortles as soon as they have gotten rooms sorted, falling onto the bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mute! I can’t believe she fell for that!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He giggles again, glancing up at Wild.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t it bother you a bit? Legend really looked bugged.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wild only shrugs, offering a mysterious little smile that Wind frowns at. They head down into the crowded tavern after becoming settled, a fire crackling in the hearth as patrons fill the room. Wind darts through the crowd and snags them a booth, waving them over as Sky and Warriors grab another table to push over. The warm lady from before bustles over and manages to take their orders through a great deal of pantomiming and translating on Four and Hyrule’s part, smiling at them once more before bustling right back off with a promise of fast service. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wars stands, making the motion that had come to indicate need to relieve themselves over the past couple of days, and slips away. It’s quite odd, to have such raucous conversation about them, but to not be partaking in the normal chaos of their own. Four and Hyrule fall into easy conversation about something or other, and the others listen in for lack of anything better to do. Wind, growing increasingly bored, takes the opportunity to slip off towards the bar, intending to scope out anyone he thinks he can make a bet with, and, as a result, win a few rupees off of. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead, he catches sight of Warriors, leaning over the bar and pointing at something. He calls out but the older hero doesn’t hear him over the din, so he picks his way through the crowd toward him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“-Not in town for long, I’m afraid.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wind blinks, jerking his head up and catching sight of Warriors, half turned away from him with an easy grin on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You spoke!” Wind exclaims gleefully, jabbing an elbow into his side. Warriors startles, hand going toward his back for a moment before noting Wind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-“ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes go wide and his mouth snaps shut, but the damage is beyond done. Wind grins up at him before darting away, Warriors calling after him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t count! I was-“ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Warriors lost!” Wind exclaims, slamming his hands down on the table and pointing back at his pursuer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And all for a pretty face,” he tuts, and Four chuckles. Warriors glowers and makes a hand motion at Wind, clearly trying to dismiss his claim, but Time shakes his head while the others grin. Warriors drops into his seat with a thunk, head falling into his hands. He lets out a miserable groan before looking up, eyes narrowed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hate you, sailor.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wind grins smugly back and he drops his face to his palms again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t even get his name!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time pats him comfortingly on the back, lips pressed into a line as he tries to hold back a reaction. Their eyes are filled with mirth at Warriors misfortune, barely restricting the urge to tease him over it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the end of dinner Warriors seems to have mostly forgotten his unfortunate slip up (or rather, being caught in the act of cheating) and is harassing a twitching Legend, who looks about two seconds away from throwing a punch. They file into their rooms with a few soft “good night!”s and a host of waves of smiles, collapsing onto the beds for what is sure to be one of their better nights of sleep for the foreseeable future. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The remaining five are not messing around. Warriors and Wind try nearly everything they can think of to elicit a noise from them, but to no avail. Wind’s curse word tally — Wild has been keeping track on his Slate, out of curiosity — has reached numbers so high he is genuinely worried Time may kill him when it’s all over. Somehow, in their travels, they have managed to avoid any sort of fight beyond a brief skirmish with a stray bokoblin or two for nearly four days, making the challenge a fair bit easier. Their luck rarely holds so long, though, and the end of the fourth day finds them with a vengeance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Moblins!” Warriors shouts, and their group is immediately at arms and drawing together into a loose circle. Time counts twelve, maybe more, before he has to raise his blade to parry a wild slash from one of the brutes. Around him the others take up their swords against the monsters, the harsh sound of metal scraping against metal filling the air. After a few moments, when the initial adrenaline dies down, the battle is eerily quiet. The moblins grunt and bellow, snuffling with their smashed-in snouts as the boys tear into them, but apart from the occasional grunt of those who had already lost there is not another sound uttered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Were they really so loud, normally? Twilight wonders as he yanks his blade from the carcass of a freshly felled moblin, the quiet of this particular fight obvious as daylight. He whips around, knocking away a spear aimed for his stomach, and lunges at his attacker, sword held across his body so he can bring it down in a vicious slice. The second monster stumbles back and trips over a fellow, sprawling onto the ground. Twilight puts it out of its misery and takes a step back, glancing up to assess how the others are faring. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gah!” Out of nowhere, a club catches him in the side, spending him tottering away. Wordlessly, Legend points at him without even a glance, blocking his opponents blade. Damn. Twilight curses under his breath before shoving himself up and spinning towards the bokoblin that had caught him unawares, ending its life with a vengeance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Post-battle; as they wipe off their blades, Legend looks at him pointedly and Twilight resists the urge to sigh. As tempting as it is, to pretend like he had no clue as to what Legend was referring, he had no desire to fake his win. But playing with Legend — just a bit, anyways — couldn’t hurt, could it? He grins to himself, shrugging at Legend. The pink hair hero furrows his brows at him before glaring, nose scrunching up. He motions with his hand, making an over-exaggerated expression and looking pointedly at Twilight once more. Continuing to polish his sword, Twilight shrugs and shakes his head, trying to conceal a little smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend looks absolutely livid, jabbing a finger at him and curling his lip. He looks about two seconds away from exploding, and as much as he feels like he could bring him down with him, Legend is far too in control of himself for it to work. The grin he had been concealing pushes its way out and he shakes his head, chuckling softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I almost took you down as well!” The others whip around at the sound of his voice and Twilight laughs again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I slipped up during the battle. Legend’s my witness.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His witness, currently, is glaring intently at him. He pulls a face at Twilight before standing and collecting his things, offering a nod to Time’s questioning look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m surprised they’ve lasted so long,” he says at the fire, sitting down next to Warriors. The captain nods, chewing his food. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wild, especially — I was sure he would have gotten bored on day one!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hero in question sends a glare his way, flipping him off before returning to his own meal. Warriors only laughs, Wild’s shoulders rolling in annoyance. Twilight is sure if he were allowed to make noise his cub’d be huffing to himself right about now, muttering insults  under his breath. Sky, who has looked positively itchy for the last day or so, pulls out his harp and casts a questioning glance around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘S not your mouth,” Four says, yawning. “Go for it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Sky offers an easy grin in thanks, and following no objections, plucks lightly at the strings. It’s a nice break from Warriors’ and Wind’s jaunts, or Four’s underhanded pranks. The soft, lilting notes fill the air, the crackling of the campfire a gentle accompaniment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Frankly, it’s impressive how long they manage without speaking. Time manages to convey his leadership through meaningful looks (usually pointed glares) and nods of his head, Warriors picking up where he can’t. Legend seems to have finally figured out how to tune his adversary out, looking mostly unbothered by Warrior’s jibes anymore, and Sky’s occasional playing of his harp seems to keep him at bay. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time and — to the surprise of nearly everyone — Wild, seem rather unbothered by the whole ordeal, as if six days without so much as a grunt is much of a challenge. The traveler’s sheikah garb has become a common sight, the mask drawn up over the bridge of his nose and his long hair swept into a practical bun. His eyes remain as bright as ever, crinkling at the jokes passed around and sweeping across the landscape as it passes by. Time’s usual stoicism is multiplied by his silence, eyes set dead ahead on the path they follow as they travel. At night, or when they have stopped, he will look occasionally close to words, but none of the boys can figure out how to rile him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe it’s been a </span>
  <em>
    <span>week</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Hyrule remarks, and Warriors sighs, folding his arms behind his head and leaning back, legs stretched out in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A whole week without having to hear Legend’s voice.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend flips him off without looking up from his stitching, and Warriors chuckles. Where normally they would once expect to hear Time’s low accent rumbling an “Alright, we best be getting ready to leave,” there is now an odd sort of gap. Twi or Wars will fill it, albeit a bit awkwardly, and they continue on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nearing noon, Sky lets out a sight that turns into a long, pained groan, hands dragging down his face, and he loses in that way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t do this anymore,” he mutters, and Warriors pats his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s been eight days,” he mumbles, and the others laugh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend, with his stubbornness, Wild, oddly collected, and Time, ever stoic, are quite the spectacle. Legend and Wild seem to have teamed up on trying to get Time out, but how they manage to communicate any semblance of a plan is a mystery to everyone else. No one catches even too loud of a breath from them, the trio remaining stalwartly silent. The days continue to pile on and Sky wonders if they, too, are slogging through every day as he had been towards the end, but as they near twelve days it certainly doesn’t seem so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, guys?” Hyrule speaks up as they are settling down around the newly made fire. “Is that a portal?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At his words they glance off in the direction he jerks his head towards and share a collective groan. The portal looms at the edge of the campfire’s light, odd markings shifting and interior swirling. Time closes his eye, briefly, looking beyond annoyed, before giving the impression of a sigh and standing. Hyrule lets out a groan for Legend and they gather their things, filing toward the rift. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they stumble out into an open field, blinking in the sudden daylight, Legend perks up and glances around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come on! I was ready to go to sleep,” Hyrule complains, and Four mutters something half-unintelligible in agreement. Legend waves, drawing attention to himself, and pats his chest, indicating that they have found themselves in his Hyrule. He beckons them to follow and sets of, sure-footed and suddenly more invigorated in a direction only he knows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, they had only been set back a few hours, and as Legend gets across that they are almost there it is nearing dusk. They break the tree line and Legend’s house comes into view, sat atop its hill, and the hero’s pace quickens as the landscape opens up. He pulls ahead, likely glad and a fair bit excited to be home, after so long away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Sky enters he catches sight of the tail end of a few wild gestures that are coming from Legend’s hands. The veterans hands fall to his side as he hears Sky come in, turning to glance back at him, and Sky offers him a knowing smile. Ravio welcomes them and offers to take some of their gear, piling it into his arms and disappearing around a corner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of them file inside and start shedding their gear, taking seats on the furniture and murmuring sleepily to one another. Ravio returns and Warriors brightens, nodding to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If it isn’t the most cowardly warrior!” He greets, and Legend freezes where he’s sitting across the room. Sky, who had keyed in on the not-so-thankful words toward their host, watches the whole event unfold. Ravio makes to respond but Legend is faster, shooting to his feet and sending his sword clattering to the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did you say?” he growls, voice cracking with disuse, but the room falls silent anyways, eyes going wide. Warriors’ smile drops from his face instantly and his eyes go round, mouth opening. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Link-“ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Warriors, you bastard-“ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The captains scarf is suddenly balled in Legend’s fist, who had crossed the room in an instant. The others begin shouting at Legend’s fist draws back, making to get in between them. Somehow, Ravio gets there first, a staff that seems to have simply sprung into existence pressing against Legend's shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Link! Lolia‘a sake, you over-excited idiot,” he complains, flicking the staff and shoving Legend back. He sighs exasperatedly, though still with evident fondness, and half-spins the staff, the long weapon retracting into some sort of charm as he steps forward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be so brash. I’ve known other Li- Warriors for some time.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend takes pause, brow furrowing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- you what?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember that war I told you about?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- yes?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you not notice us talking last time you were home? By the Goddesses, you are thick!” Ravio rolls his eyes and Legend huffs, pulling his arm back from the merchant’s grasp. Ravio gives him a little half-quirked grin that seems customary for him and looks back at the others.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I apologize for Link — or, Legend, rather — he never listens when I tell him things. Anyone care for some tea?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After some awkwardly murmured or gestures requests Ravio disappears into the kitchen, the room watching him go. Legend turns to Warriors, still glaring.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You insult Ravio again, and you’re dead. Got it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Warriors nods, hands raised defensively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Leg.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend sniffs and stalks back across the room, plopping down onto his chair. The room blinks, processing the whole ordeal, before Hyrule grins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to say it, Legend, but it looks like you lost.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- so what of it,” Legend growls, and they laugh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dinner is made merrily and Legend (mostly at the behest of Ravio) extends an olive branch to Warriors, who finally relaxes in his seat. Now that most of them are free of the game, their table takes on its normal racket, conversations overlapping and occasional thuds. Time and Wild only smile softly as the conversation is turned on them, Legend complaining that his loss shouldn’t count due to Warriors being, quote, “a miserable little prick.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How much longer are you guys gonna go?” Twilight asks, and Wild shrugs, shoveling in another bite of food. Time, as well, manages to give an ambiguous answer in the form of a little hand gesture. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s no way they’re not cheating. No noise at all for — how long hassit been — what, twelve days?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They haven't,” Legend speaks up. “Would’ve made sure everyone knew about it if they did.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wild nods at points at him in agreement, point to himself and then vaguely at Time and Legend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were all in a group twenty-four seven to make sure none of us were cheating.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” Four days, nodding sagely. The conversation shifts again but more than one of them are rubbing at their eyes, and soon rooms are being divvied up (or fought over, rather). The prospect of beds — and so soon! — is far too alluring for any of them to want to stay up late. Legend (and Ravio’s) house isn’t big by any means, but they have the basement and two bedrooms so it gets worked out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Legend, surprisingly, takes his loss fairly well, joining the others in trying to get Wild and Time to slip up. They spend the first few days of their time in Legend’s Hyrule based out of his house, venturing out to track down the few stray monsters nearby or into town to explore. It’s a welcome reprieve from their quest, but all breaks, especially for them, must come to a close eventually. Time and Wild seem no closer to cracking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two weeks! Smug bastards,” Legend groans as Wild and Time smirk at him from across the the table. Time has somehow stil managed to be their leader despite his obvious lack of voice, presence still demanding even in silence. They bid farewell to Ravio, following rumours of a monster camp sitting above the desert and amvushing travellers as they pass through the narrow passage between greater Hyrule and the sea of sands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re getting close,” Legend says, shifting his sword in his grasp. The others start to quiet down, drawing their own weapons if they haven’t already, and continue down the path. Warriors clears his throat, the others falling silent as he gives them a run down of their plan. As soon as the camp comes into view they split up, Hyrule and Sky staying behind for a moment to let the others get into position. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You ready?” Sky asks, and the younger hero nods once. They set off down the path, all too aware of their surroundings. They’d had to put their swords away to draw the monsters in more easily, and his empty hands puts Sky on edge. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hear that?” Hyrule murmurs after a few minutes, and suddenly the monsters are on them. Sky draws his sword, fending off the monsters as little as possible. As they draw near, Hryule’s hand shoots up and he brings down a bolt of lighting from the clear, sunny sky. The lizalfos it had struck twitches onces before crumpling and dropping dead, givnig the other beasts pause. Perfect. He draws his own sword and whoops as Wild and Wind fly down from above, dropping into the fray. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The battle is chaotic and fast and bloody, but that’s how things usually are with them. The other heroes join in the fight at some point, metal ringing as sword meets sword. There’s a lound thunk followed by a laugh and Sky glances over to see Warriors’ sword sunk deep into the club of a fallen foe. He whips his sword in an arc and flings the wooden weapon into the face of an oncoming bokoblin, laugiung again as it stumbles backwards. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sky!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The chosen hero whips around, barely catching the oncoming blade in time. He scowls, forcing the blade away and running the monster through, nodding to Time in thanks. Hylia, how had he let himself get distracted? The battle goes on a fair bit longer, but Wild and Wind’s entrance had been so unexpected to the mob that they had taken out a good amount of them right at the start. The last monster is slain, Legend pushing the beast off his blade with a distasteful curl of his lip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Time! It looks like you lost,” Twilight grins, sauntering over. Time grins back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So I have.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wild won!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the Goddesses, how-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No way-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He had to have cheated!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I assure you, he didn’t,” Legend says, grinning and offering a fist bump to the still-silent hero.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I”m impressed, I’ll say.” Time claps him on the back, taking a seat by him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could go longer,” Wild grins, chuckling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bet you couldn’t!” Four calls, and Legend laughs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That is not a bet I would take against him, Four.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Care to explain?” Four asks, raising an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t speak for three months after waking up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Three months?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wind exclaims. “No way. I call bull.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time sets him with a disappointed look and Wind falters, looking at the ground sheepishly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really! I didn’t speak much to you lot at first, either.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wild nods, wiping the last of the blood off his blade and sheathing it, setiing it aside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes I can’t talk, especially with people I’m not used to. Mostly I just sign, especially at home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sign?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Talking with my hands,” Wild explains, making a series of purposeful gestures along with his words. Legend nods with his words, half-heartedly mirroring the words as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rav has some fancy words for it, but I’m pretty much the same. ‘S not as bad as when I was younger though. I was surprised that more than one of us had these problems, but I suppose it makes sense.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You too?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does that count as cheating? They have too much practice-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boys laugh at the chaos and offer congratulations to Wild, high fiving him or patting him on the back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s never play the quiet game again,” Sky mutters darkly, and Time chuckles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll find a different way to shut you all up next time,” he promises, and Sky laughs. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>First of all, ty to Shatha for unwittingly giving me this fic idea! I did not mean for it to expand into this 5,000 word monstrosity, but here we are. </p><p>If anyone cares at all, I totally bullshitted Sky's song at the beginning, but it is sung to the melody of Valka and Stoick's song from HTTYD 2 (I'd just binged all three when I wrote that bit and it was stuck in my head).  This is my first (posted) LU fic! It was,, terribly fun to write and I spent a few nights chortling to myself at two am over stupid little ideas I got and then wrote in instead of sleeping. </p><p>To address a few of the more major headcanons I threw into this fic: selectively mute botw link is a headcanon I love dearly (and you can pry it from my cold, dead fingers) but due to LU canon I'd never really seen Wild as such... until the opportunity presented itself in the form of this fic. I do wish I had been able to go more in depth with it, but I will placate myself for now. And Legend using sign hit me like a truck at 2 am last night, so that headcanon got thrown in as well and I will be holding onto them with a death grip. </p><p>Anyways, thank you for reading this abomination! As per usual, this was barely skimmed though before posting so please please please tell me if you catch any typos; I will be eternally grateful :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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